Vent cap



Feb. 11, 195s s. EPSTEIN 2,822,744

VENT CAP `Filed March 1 5, 1956 IIIIIIIIIII 'HH nummll Y f4 v I; O60

SAUL. EPSTE/N,

l INVEN TOR. Huebner, Been/er, Warre/ I Herzig.

Affarneys.

United States Patente() VENT yCAP sul'np'sfei, ALos Angabe-:carieApplicaanaMarch :15, 1956, seria1.N0.-s71,619f 3 claims. (01498;84) iThis invention rela'te'sttoa vent cap fora gas`v ventlpipe,and'vparticularly ytor anfimprovedl vent @cap adapted for attachrnenttoVthe* upper endoff'a 'gas'ueor vent Tpipe exi tending-'throughth'eroofofabuilding.'

Vent caps of this type are exposed to Wind and'we'ather They'ar'edesigned to 4prevent waterfro'm'gettingsinto:the exiten'd ofthe-'ventpipe; andA tov maintain a desired, uniform"degree of'tdraft by:protectingtthefvent pipei from downdrafts aswell lasexcessiveupdra'ftsi A properly de-` signed vent cap shtiuldI result intheestablishment` of a unil fo'rmdraft forsthe ventlpipefsystemundervarying outdoor conditions. ofwind'and-weather.I "libe-'draft` inthe vent pipev systemsh'ould approximate that'of anopen ended ue or ventpipef'performing" on -a clear, -quiet day;v

Furthermore, theV vent pipe cap shou'ldbefdesignedand constructed Vforrugged, durable:- service fto Awithstand storms-z1n`til1`ighiwincl`s-`over-"a prolonged v-periodof Itime; withoutfthe-necessity .ofmaintenance or repairs. Inaddi-` tiongthe-ventfcap should bedesignedfffor-:low cost,'-ei'- cient mass'production^.f It-'should-consist of-=a minimum number of *readily* manufacturedparts-capable -of being producedebye-the employment-of a minimumnumbenof operationsandrelatively inexpensive machineryt.V

Accordingly,fitis4 an importantobject of myninvention to provide-arugged -andf'dura-ble vent caplconstruction de` V signed vtowithstand-all kinds of windtandweatherwithout` the necessity -ofmaintenance `or lrepairs over-prolongedk periods 'of ser-vice Anotherobject" is to provide ani-improved-vent :cap designed and rconstructedto counteract the-effeetsof downdrafts andexcessive updraftsandtoestablslra'desired, uniform draft-n the vent pipe' sys-temapproachingthat of an open'ended--ue-or vent pipe-during-a clear, quietday.v

A further object is-to provide a' vent-cap ,designedfo'r constructionfrom sheet-,materials and-for economic massV production by theIemployment of a-minimum'numben-ot parts capableof beingk producedrapidly and eicientlyby a relatively few, convenientfoperations andbytheuse=of inexpensive machinery 1 Additional objects will becomeapparentfromthe .fol. lowingdescri'pt'ion: y p

In general terms, myinventionvcomprehendsI a ventcap comprising a ventpipe section-or-stackfcollanV a flange mounted adjacent the upper vend'of the ventpipe section,

a shield' mounted on the 'flange and. extending upward; therefrom;` andacapmounted in the shield/adjacent the upperend thereof and'over thevent pipe sectionvw The` upper end ofthe vent pipe section or stackcollar,-prefer ably'is made cylindrical inshape` Y The flange in thiscase is annular in shape and is provided with agenerallylhorizontallcontinuousportionfslopingr slightly ini-adownwardly, outwardly direction, an

inner annular continuous portionv extendingfvertically and preferablyupwardly of' the horizontal portion,l and an outer annular continuouspertionex-tendingverticallyand? preferably downwardly fremthehorizontal--1;\ 0rtit` nf.fThey inner annularcontinuousportion;ofthe-tiangeisxnadevtny 2 fit snuglyaroundthefoutsi'de'-tsurfacel of the vent pipe sectionsand. is suitably xedthereto, such asby spot welding.

Ai generally cylindrical shieldfof. greater diameter than the annular.`flange is ymounted' concentrically around the fla'nge 1to1extendvertically .upward therefrom'.vv The'lshield isfl provided: with`vertical indented: portioms: preferably ex'- tending radially inward ofythe shieldfiand` engagingthe outer annular portion; of the ange. TheVshield preferably'is--firmly-:xed to the-,outer annularzportion lof theang'ei'at theA vertical indented portions of: the shield, such as -byspot we1ding.`

A.. generally horizontal, circular cap of a diametersubL stan'tiallyequal to that of the. annular flangerand prefer ably having @acontinuous'peripheral portion extending vertically? downward `rof`thelcap is mountedin the'shield adjacent .the upper endffthereo;y Theperipheral portion offthev cap preferablyis madeto engage'the verticalindented portions of the shield, and is rigidly xed thereto, such'asby;spot-,welding,-.

Aemore-detailed-tdescription ofz-a specific embodimentoffmyl.inventionv-isf:-givenwith reference to the drawing, wherein?`vFigurenl i`s-.=a sidenelevationalview'partially in section showing-the.relationshipaof-the flange,.shield, andcap with respect to.theventpipe-section;

Figure 2 is-.aesornewhataenlargedfragmentary View insectional'.elevation-showing.,the flange-of the vent1cap mounted;oni-the uppenendeffavent pipe -section of larger diameter than; thatshown inFigure `1;

Figure. :3'- is;l a bottomview of the. vent cap shown in FigurelnshowingtheA relationship of the diameters ofthe vent pipe; section-theilange and. the cap,and the shield;-

Figure-4 is a perspectiverfvew showing; the -flangeas an unassembledpart;

l.'Figure. 5 is .a perspective view'showing, anv alternative ange; .and-

Figure-6 is a similar yiewvshowingthek alter-native flange inverted.

Fig. .7 :is affragmentary sectional 4view, similar to a portion of Fig..1, but showing the. structureof Figs. 5 and 6 in a finished assembly.v

In the-.specic embodiment of Ymy invention shown in the drawingtacylindrical ventpipe section vor stack collar 10 ismade of. astrip,ofsheet., material, such as asheet of galvanized iron, formed into acylindrical section. Suitable dimples 11 are formed on the sideofrthepipe 1,0 "to increase the eifective diameter ofthe .vent ,pipe `sectionand .for suitably wedging the vent pipefseetion or-stack collar 10 intotheopen end of aventpipeprotruding ,fromthe lroof of-a building.V

`The upper'end of .the vent pipesectionlO fits snuggly into an annulariiange 11 vhaving an innerlannularcontinuous porti'c'm lllextendingvertically upward from a. generally or approximately"horizontal,vcontinuous portion 13,s1o`ping somewhat downwardly towardtheouterperiphery thereof for water runoff," as best shown, inV Figure 1.1.Thelupperfend of the vent pipe section 10 is viixedito.` th'eA innerannular portion 12 by anyf convenient means to` forni a ruggedAconnection, such'as Yby spot welding,

annulrange'llis provided with'anouter annular continuous portion 14'extendingverticallydownwardly of theA gener1ry horizonta1 portion? 13;approximately-the saine"V distance -th'afthe inner annular`portion"`12"`ex'tends' upward" of .the portion 13.' This'resultsintheformatiojnj o'fa relatively rugged annular flange 11lixeditov th'e top, ofthe'v'entpipe section 10, which is snuglyttedinside the'n inner. annular portion 12 and is,iirmlyixedvv thereto..

In.`.cases where the venty pipe section 10` has `avlargerldiameterth'an.theidiameter of the vinnervannular portionl 121,andeh'asfan' `-outside diameter ap'proXimatelyl theysame; astheinsidediameter of, the* outer annularportion;14,1',l the vent pipe section 10can beiixed tothe insideZsurfaCe of the outer annular portion 14, suchas by spot welding, as shown in Figure 2. If the vent pipe section 10has an inside diameter approximately equal to the outside diameter ofthe section 10, it can be fixed to the outside ofv the outer annularportion 14. These two alternative arrangements will result in areduction of the crosssectional area of the open end of the vent pipesection 10, but permit the use of a smaller vent cap assembly for a ventpipe of a given diameter, than in the first casek described withreference to Figure l.

Instead of using a flange 11, such as shown in Figures 1 to 4, amodified flange 16, such as shown in Figures 5 and 6, may be used. Theflange 16 is provided with an inner annular continuous portion 17similar to the inner annular continuous portion 1'2 of flange 11, agenerally horizontal continuous annular portion 18 sloping slightly in adownwardly, outwardly direction similar to the portion 13 of flange 11,and an outer annular portion 19 extending vertically downwardly, similarto portion 14 of flange v11, described above in connection with Figuresl to 4.

In addition, flange 16 is provided with several radially outwardlyextending portions 21. There may be three, four or any desired number ofradially extending portions 21. Pour such portions are shown in Figuresand 6. The top portions 22 of the radial portion 21 preferably arecontinuations of the generally horizontal portion 18 of flange 16. TheVertical side portions 23 preferably are integral with the outer annularportions 19 and are formed to converge somewhat outwardly. Generallyvertical segmental annular sections 24 formed concentrically with theouter annular portions 19, and having equal radii, are formed on theextremities of the radially extending portions 21. The outer annularsections 24 preferably are of the same height as the outer annularportions 19, but may be made of a somewhat greater height if desired.

lFirmly mounted on the flange 11 or the flange 16, as the case may be,is a generally cylindrical shield 27 having a somewhat greater insidediameter than the outside diameter of the flange 11 at outer annularportion 14, or flange 16 at outer annular portion 19. The shield 27 ismade of a strip of sheet material, such as galvanized iron sheet, formedinto a cylindrical section and joined rmly at extremities such as bybrazing or spot welding, for example. The shield 27 can be provided withseveral annular beads (not shown) for the purpose of impartingadditional rigidity to the shield.

Several vertical indentations 2S, such as 3 or 4, for example, areformed in the shield 27 and are equally spaced around the periphery ofthe shield. The vertical indentations preferably are made with flat,radially positioned sides 29 and curved bottom portions 31 having radiiof curvature substantially equal to the radius of the. outer annularportion 14 of flange 11, or the outer extremity sections 24 of flange16. The sides 29 need not necessarily be flat, but may be curvedsomewhat as they extend into the cylindrical wall of shield 27.

The shield 27 adjacent its loweredge is firmly fixed to the outerannular portion 14 of flange 11, or the radially projecting extremitysections 24 of flange 16, by any suitable means, such as spot weldingthe shield at portions' 31 to the flange in each case. This results in afirm,. rugged mounting of shield 27 on the flange 11 or 16,

as the case may be, which in turn is firmly mounted on` the vent pipesection 10, as described above. Alterna-.

tively, the shield 27 may be mounted at portions 31 to tabs extendingfrom the lower edge of outer annular por-V tion 14 of flange` 11.

Flange 16 may be mounted on vent p1pe section 1f) at its inner annularportion 17 with portion 17 fitting snuggly around the upper end of ventpipe section 10, and extending upwardly therealong, as was `described inthe case of portion 12 of flange 11. This arrangement` is best shown inFigure 7. I f

A generally horizontally disposed, circular, dished cap 32 preferably ispositioned inward of the upper edge of shield 27. The cap 32 preferablycontains a substantially horizontal circular portion 33 sloping slightlydownwardly and outwardly of its center, a gently downwardly slopingannular portion 34 integral with portion 33 through a similar portion36, and an outer annular portion 37 extending vertically downwardly andpreferably having a diameter substantially equal to that of outerannular portion 14 of flange 11, or in the case of flange 16,substantially equal to that of outer annular sections 24.

The cap 32 is rigidly fixed to shield 27 at outer annular portion 37 andvertical bottom portion 31, of vertically extending indentations 28, bysuitable means such as spot welding. The cap 32 is positioned centrallyover the open end of vent pipe section 10. In this position it isdesigned to shed water so that the water will run ol the lower edge ofouter annular portion 37 and drip outside the bounds of vent pipesection 10, preferably upon the outer portions of annular, generallyhorizontal, but slightly sloped portion 13, and outer annular portion 14of ange'11.

The elects of Ywinds and air currents passing laterally A of the shield27 is minimized. Components of these lateral air movements pass bothupwardly and downwardly in shield 27, around outer annular portion 14 offlange 11, and outer annular portion 37 of cap 32. These components ofair movement are exactly oppositely directed and tend to counteract eachother. In this manner, their effect on the movement of gases upwardthrough vent pipe section 10 is minimized.

If the upward and downward components of winds are not exactlycounteracted in this manner, or if an updraft or downdraft of airdevelops in shield 27 between outer annular portion 14 of flange 11 orouter annular portion 37 of cap 32, such unbalanced components of airmove vertically upward or downward in shield 27 from one end thereof tothe other, without having any appreciable effect on the movement of ventgases from the open end of vent pipe section 10. Thus, the vent cap ofmy invention tends to produce a condition approaching that existing atthe open end of an open ended vent pipe or flue on a clear day whenthere is no appreciable movement of air. This results in a steady,unvarying and unaffected draft in the vent system up through the openend of vent pipe section 10.

It will be observed that the vent cap of my invention is constructed ofstrip material formed into a minimum number of parts which can berapidly and efficiently made by mass production methods involving aminimum number of relatively simple operations and requiring relativelysimple inexpensive machinery. Also, the assembly and fixing together ofthe various parts of the vent cap of my invention require a minimumamount of labor. The assembled vent cap is designed for rugged anddurable construction resulting in a vent cap requiring a minimum amountof maintenance or repair over prolonged periods of rough usage. The ventpipe section 10 is securely fixed in flange 11 which is ruggedlyconstructed. Shield 27 is securely fixed to flange 11, and cap 32, inturn, is securely mounted in shield 27.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in what I haveconceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isrecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of myinven tion, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein,but is to be accorded the ful-l scope of the claims so as to embrace anyandY all equivalent structure.

Having described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A vent"cap comprising a vertical cylindrical vent pipe section; agenerally annular flange having a generally y"horizontal continuousportion, an inner annular continuous portion extending vertically upwardof the ho-A zontal portion, an outer generally annulary continuouslportion extending vertically downward of the horizontal portion, andradially extending portions having mounting surfaces extendingvertically at equal radial distances from the generally annular flange;a generally cylindrical shield of greater diameter than the annularflange mounted concentrically around the flan-ge to extend verticallyupward therefrom, the shield having vertical indented portions ixedlyengaging the mounting surfaces of the radially extending portions of theflange; and a generally horizontal circular cap of a diametersubstantial-ly equal to that of the outer annular portion of the flangehaving continuous peripheral portion extending vertically downward andxedly engaging the vertical indented portions of the shield adjacent theupper end thereof.

2. A vent cap comprising a vertical cylindrical vent pipe section, anannular louver having a general-ly horizontal main body portion andhaving circumferentially continuous inner and outer vertical flanges, adisc-shaped generally horizontal cap having a Vertical circumferentialflange, the inner vertical flange of `said louver being of a diametercorresponding to the outer diameter of said vent pipe section, and meanssecuring said louver by means of said inner vertical flange to an end ofSaid vent pipe section, said outer vertical flange on said louver andsaid flange on said cap being of corresponding diameters, a generallyannular vertical shield having a vertical height greater than thevertical distance between said louver and said disc-shaped cap, saidshield being radially spaced from the outer flange on said louver andthe ange on said cap and concentric with said disc-shaped cap and saidlouver, said shield being indented radially inward-ly atcrcumferential'ly spaced points, and means securing said shield to saidlouver and said disc-shaped cap by means of said outer vertical flangeon said louver and said annular ilange on said disc-shaped caprespectively, said indentations having detent means inside said shieldfor releasably indexing and positioning said cap and said louver thereinin desired spaced relationship prior to permanent assembly.

3. A vent cap comprising a vertical cylindrical vent pipe section, anannular louver having a generally horizontal main body portion andhaving circumferentially continuous inner and outer vertical flanges, adisc-shaped generally horizontal cap having a Vertical circumferentialflange, the inner vertical flange of said louver being of a diametercorresponding to the outer diameter of said vent pipe section, and meanssecuring said louver by means of said inner vertical flange to` an endof said vent pipe section, said outer vertical flange on said louver andsaid flange on said cap being of corresponding diameters, a cylindricalvertical shield having a vertical height greater than the verticaldistance between said louver and said disc-shaped cap, said shield beingradially spaced from the outer flange on said louver and the flange onsaid cap and concentric with lsaid disc-shaped cap and said louver, saidshield being indented radially inwardly at circumferentially spacedpoints, and means securing said shield to said louver and saiddisc-shaped cap by means of said outer vertical ange on said -louver andsaid annular ange on said disc-shaped cap respectively, the saidindentations having radial side walls so spaced apart that saidindentations are of substantially rectangular cross sectional shape.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,229,212 Kreutzer Jan. 21, 1941 2,563,710 Epstein Aug. 7, 19512,563,753 Rubin Aug. 7, 1951

